USDA: Late-season Snow Falling in Some Areas of the Corn Belt

USDA's Joint Ag Weather Facility says in the Corn Belt, late-season, wind-blown snow is falling from northern Iowa to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. "Meanwhile, heavy rain is falling in the Ohio Valley, where some flooding is occurring," USDA details. Some of the most significant flooding has been observed in Indiana and environs, as well as the lower Missouri Valley, USDA explains.

In the West, USDA reports a little more precipitation is arriving in northern and central California. "Recent storminess has boosted the average water content of the high-elevation Sierra Nevada snowpack to 10 inches, roughly one-third of normal for early April," USDA elaborates. Meanwhile, showery weather is returning to parts of the Northwest, USDA continues.

On the Plains, USDA says cool, dry weather prevails. "Freezes were noted this morning as far south as west-central Texas, following Thursday’s wind and blowing dust," USDA details. Farther north, some snow remains on the ground in the Dakotas, eastern Montana, and eastern Nebraska, USDA continues. "In Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the current snow depth is 3 inches," USDA details.

In the South, USDA says a line of showers and thunderstorms stretches from the central and southern Appalachians to the central Gulf Coast. "A few thunderstorms also linger across southern Texas," USDA continues. Meanwhile, USDA reports areas of the Mid-South hit by yesterday’s strong thunderstorms are beginning clean-up efforts amid cool, breezy conditions. Southern fieldwork remains largely at a standstill due to recent or ongoing storminess, USDA adds.

In its outlook, USDA says a storm system crossing the Midwest will drift into eastern Canada by Saturday. "Showers and locally severe thunderstorms will continue along the storm’s trailing co ld front into Friday night," USDA adds. Late in the weekend, a new storm will begin to take shape across the South, USDA continues. Early next week, USDA reports heavy rain will spread northward across the East Coast States and the lower Midwest. "Five-day rainfall totals could reach 2 to 5 inches across the South and 1 to 2 inches from the lower Great Lakes region into the Northeast," USDA elaborates. Elsewhere, generally light precipitation in the West will be mostly confined to the northern and eastern portions of the region, according to USDA. In addition, record-setting warmth will overspread the West early next week, USDA adds.